1/2 Cup shredded Parmesan cheese (optional but I like the extra depth of flavour)

Meaty pasta sauce (the recipe I use is on the right – Gioia’s Pasta Sauce)

2 lbs. shredded mozzarella

Method:

Things to do BEFORE assembling lasagna:

1. If you are making homemade sauce, have that made and ready. If it still hot, it will take less time to cook. If you are making the lasagna for the next day, (like I did tonight), it’s better room temp or chilled so you don’t have to wait to refrigerate it.

2. If you are making ricotta, that can be room temp or cold. The ricotta is so wonderful right after you make it, fluffy and warm but it works just as well being in the fridge overnight or a few days.

3. If you are making the lasagna noodles from scratch, you can do them the day before, just make certain they are covered and sealed so they don’t dry out. I always make mine right before assembling and just leave them on the counter. If you are using boxed noodles they need to be cooked: boil them up adding a little oil to the water. Drain well and make sure they aren’t stuck together, the oil helps. There are also no-cook noodles 🙂

4. Mix ricotta, eggs, Parmesan and parsley.

Assemble Lasagna

1. Spread a bit of sauce on the bottom of pan.

2. 3 strips of pasta make the first layer, cut to fit. I use scissors 🙂

3. Make fairly even blobs with HALF the ricotta mixture and gently spread over the pasta.

Cover with 1/3 mozzarella

4. Blob 1/3 of the sauce and spread evenly

5. Cover with the next layer of noodles

Repeat 3,4 &5 and cover with the last bit of sauce.

Sometimes I BARELY have enough but make sure the noodles are covered.

This is how it will look on the side.

Cover with foil, refrigerate for the next day, freeze or cook right then.

Cooking

Preheat oven.

(If you have it in fridge overnight, put it in the cold oven so it warms up while the oven heats)

325 degrees f for appx 1 hour and 15 min. You want it hot all the way through and bubbling.

Take off the foil, add the last of the mozzarella and put back in for 5 to 10 minutes –

Check it until the cheese is white and melty or just golden brown,

I don’t particularly like crispy cheese on lasagna.

I COMPLETELY forgot to take a photo of it out of the oven, SORRY! We gobbled up half the pan quickly.